The Nebula
by Zyphlat Lipshin
Summary: Tom and B'Elanna crash land on a planet at the center of an unnatural nebula. They find themselves stranded, directly in the middle of a conflict between two warring factions. One faction wants them destroyed; the other wants to help them get home.


Star Trek: Voyager

"The Nebula"

Captain's Log, Supplemental:

Voyager has been orbiting the perfectly spherical nebula for three days. In 2.6 hours we will be contacting the shuttle "Delta Flyer". The shuttle has been inside the nebula trying to discover what has caused this anomaly. I only hope B'Elanna Torres and Tom Paris have discovered something useful.

End of Log

Tom Paris sat at the controls of the Delta Flyer, enjoying every minute of flying the little ship. "Hey, Tom!" B'Elanna Torres called from the back. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving," Tom replied, smiling as his stomach rumbled.

"Then put the Flyer on auto and come eat something," B'Elanna snapped.

Tom's stomach rumbled even louder. "I think my stomach agrees with you." He switched the Flyer to autopilot, and went back to see what B'Elanna had replicated for lunch.

When he got to the back, Tom leaned over to kiss B'Elanna. At that moment, the Delta Flyer lurched, throwing them both to the floor. "What happened?" B'Elanna gasped.

"I don't know," Tom replied. "Unless I'm a better kisser than I thought." B'Elanna took a swing at him, but missed as he jumped up and ran to the pilot seat. She growled obscenities as she followed to the cockpit and slid into place at the science station.

"Tsk, tsk, B'Elanna, such language," Tom taunted.

"Sensors indicate a tractor beam of some sort." B'Elanna gasped and double checked her instruments, unable to believe them. "Tom, it's pulling us into the nebula!"

"I know, I know! This…tractor beam, or whatever it is, is too powerful. I can't break us free!" Tom replied, desperately working the controls.

An explosion rocked the ship as a power surge ripped the port nacelle apart, throwing the little craft end over end toward the nebula's center. Tom heard B'Elanna cry out, but didn't dare turn from the controls. The Flyer lurched again as Tom fired thrusters and pulled the little ship out of her spin.

Tom glanced up at the forward viewscreen and found himself horribly transfixed by what was in front of them. Not the shifting colors of a nebula at all, but a small blue and green planet which was quickly filling the viewscreen. The Delta Flyer was hurtling towards it with dangerous speed and Tom fired thrusters again, praying it would slow their horrifying plunge. A power surge swept through the console from the strain, sending blue lightning bolts of electricity at Tom's chest.

Tom was knocked to the floor. He had only a brief glimpse of the planet as they plunged toward it. Then the burning in his chest drove him into blessed unconsciousness.

A loud chime startled Captain Kathryn Janeway out of a peaceful sleep. "Captain, your presence is urgently requested on the bridge," her first officer Commander Chakotay's voice came over the speakers.

Janeway threw on her uniform, tugging it into place as she went. After splashing some water on her face, she headed for the turbo lift which took her promptly to the bridge. The turbo lift doors whooshed open and she stepped out to see every eye focused on the main viewscreen where the nebula hung as it had since the moment they arrived. She was just about to demand to know what was so urgent as to wake her, when Ensign Harry Kim shouted from his station. "Commander, I've just lost them!"

"Well find them again!" Chakotay snapped. He looked up at Janeway, who questioned him with a raised eyebrow. "Captain, we've got a problem on the Delta Flyer."

"What's going on?"

"Well, we were getting ready to make contact with the shuttle, when one of the engines seemed to experience a power surge. The Flyer spun out of control and moved closer to the nebula's center. What happened next is a mystery, but they seem to be disabled. When we last had them on sensors, they were being pulled into the nebula as if a gravity well has them." Chakotay motioned to the nebula on the viewscreen. "From what we could tell, the only power they have is being poured into thrusters and life support."

"Can we transport them out?" Janeway inquired.

"Negative, Captain." Lieutenant Commander Tuvok, the Vulcan security chief, responded from his place next to Kim at the science station. "The nebula is interfering with our sensors. We are unable to obtain a lock on the shuttle or crew."

"Then the tractor beam is also out of the question, even if we could get close enough." Janeway stared out the viewscreen at the nebula's shifting colors as if trying to penetrate it with her eyes alone. "Are we currently reading the Flyer at all?" she asked quietly.

"No, Captain," Kim responded. "But they're still there. I'm sure of it." He took a deep breath and hurried to say what was on all of their minds. "If they had been destroyed, we'd have been able to see the explosion on sensors. Even if they were on the other side of the nebula."

Janeway nodded. "Very well, keep trying to locate them. I'll be in my ready room if you need me." She turned and headed back for her ready room. At the door, she looked back and added, "Chakotay, you have the bridge."

Tom heard someone calling to him and tried to move, but his body refused to respond. His memory flooded back to him and he groggily opened his eyes. Looking around, he realized that he was bound to some sort of medical bed. "B'Elanna!" Tom yelled, struggling to sit up despite the force field that held him to the bed. A heavy gray hand came down on his chest and pressed him back down while a soft voice trilled soothingly.

"The other is being cared for." The being that owned the hand on Tom's chest said gently. "Please, calm yourself." Tom turned his head for a better look at it. The alien was humanoid, with leathery gray skin and close-cut white hair. It wore a sleeveless green tunic made of a silky material which shimmered in the room's soft light, and loose-fitting black pants of the same material. Its violet eyes matched the color of the belt around its waist and it had a masculine air about it, although Tom could not be certain of its gender.

"I am called Vorak. Which are you?" The alien's voice had a musical quality that was both soothing and captivating at the same time.

Tom swallowed hard and tried to soften his tone, but only managed a harsh whisper. "Lieutenant Thomas Eugene Paris of the Federation Starship Voyager."

Vorak seemed to smile. "That is a very long way to be called. Your kind must have very great memories indeed."

"Actually, most people just call me Tom." Tom replied.

"Tom," Vorak replied as if testing the word. "Ah, yes that is much shorter." He turned to a console nearby and pressed a few of the controls.

Another of the aliens stepped near to the bed and handed a vial of blue liquid to Vorak. It was similar to him, though slightly smaller, and wore a dull blue jumpsuit instead of the shimmering clothes the taller alien wore. "Drink," Vorak said, pressing the vial to Tom's mouth. Tom tried to twist his head away, but the alien held him easily and pressed the vial to his lips more firmly. "Your body needs the restful sleep this will provide. Drink."

Realizing that he had little choice, Tom swallowed the strange liquid. It tasted metallic, and instantly caused his entire body to tingle. Seconds after swallowing, Tom found himself drifting into sleep.


End file.
